The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-08-13
Editurial 8riets.
BY REV. I. M. ATWOOD, D. D.
Canton n Y

Ot tue poems evoked Dy Jne queen
! jubilee, Robert Buchanans "Annus Au-
reolus," is by far the strongest we have
seen. 1t is not surface poem, its mean.
| ing obvious without knowledge or rehec-
tion; nor is it one OF the variety Of poems
much affected in these latter days in
England, which obscure plain matter
under the notion that it thereby becomes
profound. Mr. Swinburne is more diff
| fuse and dreary in his jubilee ode than is
usual with even him. The poems Of the
occasion, taken altogether, illustrate for
chilly the truth that inspiration Is not
manufactured to order.
Grant Allen and John Addington Sy-
monds have been estimating in the Fort
nightly Reuie1U, the progress in science
and in thought, during the fifty years from
1886 to 1886. The two gentlemen are in
such close accord in the ir summaries as al.
most to make the writing Of two articles to
tell their onestory, super Auous. They fol-
low pretty closely Prof. Huxley's opinion
that the doctrine of the correlation and
conservation Of energy, and the doctriI
of evolution, are the chief contributions
of the last fifty years to the capital stock
of human knowledge. The history Of the
progress OF the world in the period named
| is not yet written, and facts ont of which
| it is to be made are az yet only partially
apprehended. The two articles to which
we refer supply admirable proofs of this
proposition.
1t is rather suggestive that Mr.. Sy-
monds finds the highest point reached by
the generalizations in which the progress
of fifty years il summed up, to be exactly
the altitude attained by the heathen
Stole, Cleanthes, in his celebrated prayer.
1t would seem as if, in Mr.. Symond's
view, the race had been enjoying a mild
decline for two thousand years, from
which it has been summarily brought
back and up in the last half century, to
the Stole level. On the whole Stole is
TO be preferred to ga good, square, fat
footed Atheist which is the goal of the
ambition Of some of Mr.. Symond's scien-
titic cOnfreres.
The Boston correspondent Of the
Christian Union touches the spot exactly
in the remark, that People are intensely
eager not to break away from the faith,
but to find larger interpretations of the
faith.' By +" the faith " he means ortho-
doxy, and by "the people" those in the
community brought up under orthodox
influence. The desire he attributes to
them is natural and not discreditable
But it involves them in some perils. 1t
induces both "the people" and their re-
ligious instructors to adopt eagerly inter-
pretRtions that are "larger" indeed, but
are specious and often palpably untrue.
The spirit of accommodation in religion
is one of the most insidious of the many
varieties of dry-rot.
The difficulty and cost of getting full
information on any subject are so great
that it is no surprise to find deficiencies
in works protesting to furnish a great
variety of facts. There is DR.. Schaff's
Encyclopedia of Living Divines aud
Christian workers in all Denominations,
the value of which is seriously impaired
by the circumstance that it was prepared
in too great haste and without competent
supervision. So far as the Univerealist
denomination is concerned the encyclo-
: pedia is more noticeable for its omissions
than for what it contains. Thomas J.
Sawyer is left out; but the names of half
q dozen men, of no particular denomiua-
tionsl fame, are inserted, by way of COM
peneRtion.
That the total general effect of Chris
tianity on the world is benefcent there
are few who deny, and those few need not
be reckoned with. In all large views Of
the progress Of the race Christianity is
discerned as chief factor. 1t Is true that
in our day science has come in as a sort
of rival OF our religion, and that some
even ignore the Influence Of Christianity
altogether in making up their summary
of the causes Of human improvement
But this is manifestly narrow view.
Science has produced a vast effect in our
era on the intelligence Of a portion of
mankind; but it Is very significant that
the portion almost exclusively affected
by science is Christendom.
The ground Of criticism of Christian
ity is It's failure to produce its own type
of characterize realize its own ideals.
1t may be said in general, that the so
called Christian nations are not Chris
tian; that very few Of the professors Of
Christianit either understand it's Thought
or display its spirit. But this is q criti-
cism that conveys a compliment. The
ideal which our religion presents is so
far above the average attainment OF its
followers that they lie under constant
reproach 1t cannot be said, however,
that the influence Of Christianity makes
against it's ideal. Its practical effect
does not antagonize its heavenly vision.
Yet, when one looks about him, in all
ranks of society, and. takes note Of the
spiritual dearth and death-the sensual
ity, brutality, vulgarity and gross ignor-
ance Of the very alphabet OF goodness;
and especially when be takes account ot
the situation ana prospects OF the mass
of mankind who seem destined not only
to live and die unpenetrRted by the
blessed spirit OF our religion. but To